“The President reaffirmed his friendship and support for the state of Israel from the very beginning of our conversation," Francis Kalifat, one of the Jewish community leaders, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

Kalifat added that Sarkozy also stressed his “strong, long relationship and friendship with Netanyahu and his family,” and “expressed his firm desire to move beyond the misunderstanding."

Kalifat told JTA that Sarkozy provided a number of explanations for his remarks about Netanyahu, but asked the Jewish leaders not to publicize them.